Honestly, I don’t know why Americans keep stampeding into Paris or the Amalfi Coast like Instagram is handing out free gelato. It’s wild—some of the best Europe travel deals are just sitting there, totally ignored, not even making it onto the Kayak “hot deals” page. The dollar’s up again (shout out to David Landsel at […]

So, you’re stumbling through some airport, groggy, and there’s always that smug traveler in the lounge corner talking about their “secret” upgrade trick. I mean, yeah, everyone pretends these loyalty perks—free upgrades, lounge passes, even those weird pre-booked airport lounges (did 69% of Americans really say they’d pay for that? seriously?)—are some kind of Illuminati […]

It’s 3 a.m. in Madrid, and I’m watching my friend stare at a $45 “foreign transaction” fee on his shiny new platinum travel card. Supposedly “no fees abroad,” right? Sure. The difference between “real” international-fee killers and the usual travel cards is laughably tiny, and banks just sneak in these 1-2% charges on every swipe. […]

Booked what I thought was “comprehensive” vacation insurance last month—ha, joke’s on me. I’m scrolling through the checkout and suddenly, there’s this avalanche of exclusions: pre-existing conditions, “dangerous” activities, work emergencies, all just quietly axed before I even click confirm. I’ve literally watched friends try to file claims, totally convinced they were golden, only to […]

Look, here’s what I don’t get—why does my travel agent always sneak in these “priority welcome” things at hotels I’ve already been to? I mean, I barely remember what I booked, but suddenly there’s a free dinner, or my room’s bigger, or I’m on some after-hours tour that’s “just for you.” New guests are over […]

Every time I’m cramming shoes into my carry-on—yeah, I know, it’s always shoes or some random bottle of after-sun—I stop and think, “Wait, did I actually buy travel insurance?” I’ve got the tickets, the phone charger, maybe three extra pairs of socks, but somehow insurance is always the last thing on my mind. And apparently, […]

Okay, so here’s my ongoing headache: I book this allegedly all-inclusive trip—months in advance, mind you, thinking I’m so clever, locked in at a flat rate. Joke’s on me. Final bill hits and now it’s stacked with “resort fees,” “service surcharges,” and, no lie, an “energy” fee. Energy? For what, the flickering hallway lights? Apparently, […]

Can you even try to book a weekend away anymore without feeling like someone’s about to scam you? I swear, the “local advice” people drop these days is less about which taco stand won’t give you food poisoning and more about which vacation rental scams are multiplying faster than ants at a picnic. Scammers just […]

So, here’s me, staring at my last rental car bill, wondering who invented the $22 “convenience” fee and why nobody at the counter even tries to warn you. I’m convinced the entire industry is a running joke my neighbor’s brother (travel agent, 19 years, apparently a rental car oracle) is in on. He just snorts […]